York Town News
Bridge discussions continue as town's MDOT deadline is extended to July 26
By Larry Favinger
CAPE NEDDICK - The Passaconaway Bridge will be replaced by the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) with 80 percent of the cost being covered by the Federal Highway Administration and the remainder by the state.The question that remains is when that work will begin and when the project will be completed.
Monday night, July 10, the Board of Selectmen discussed many aspects of the project and decided to have Town Manager Robert Yandow and Public Works Director Bill Bray continue talks with MDOT in an effort to get as many concessions as possible on the bridge's design, the material to be used and whether or not there would be sidewalks included.
"We have to go for these things," said Chairman David Marshall - particularly the sidewalks.
The problem seems to be that the state wants to put out a request for proposals later this month to meet a timetable that could have a new bridge up by as early as Memorial Day next year and certainly by July 1 of 2007. If negotiations linger and that timetable is not met, the state does not know when the bridge will be completed, with the possibility being not until the summer of 2008.
"The longer this goes on," Yandow said of the negotiations, "it pushed this (the bridge construction) back."
That could mean a new bridge is not in place by next summer.
"The world is not going to come to an end if the bridge in not in by Aug. 1" of next year, said Selectman Len Dorrian.
"I think we should push it to the limit," Selectman Michael Estes said.
The bottom line is that the state's current proposal includes sidewalks on the bridge and 250 feet each way on its approaches, but only if the town will commit to installing sidewalks leading up to them.
If the town does not make the commitment, the state has said it will return sometime in the future to put sidewalks on the bridge itself, meaning the town will have to pay for an additional 500 feet leading up to it.
Asked how long the sidewalks have to be, Bray said, "A sidewalk must go to someplace and come from someplace."
MDOT has said it will work to improve the appearance of the structure by making the concrete "look like granite. They're willing to do what they can do," Yandow said.
The current temporary bridge can stay in place during the winter if the final project is delayed, Yandow said, but only if the town will accept all liability including damage to it during snow plowing.
He stressed he is not comfortable with that because the town dos not have the proper equipment to plow that bridge. He's also concerned about running a lot of heavy equipment over it in the winter.
"I'm not sure that is a viable option," he said.
He also noted that changes in the state position, including the addition of sidewalks, have "sweetened the pot" in terms of the project..
"They certainly have moved some," Marshall said, noting a slight raise in the height of the bridge, the addition of sidewalks and the design enhancements.
One question on the commitment of the town to build the sidewalks is the need to win voters approval for the funds. There is a tight schedule to get a proposal ready and on the ballot in November for as required by the home rule charter.
Selectmen Vice Chairman Dwight Bardwell said the town should push for the sidewalks and explain the problems with funding due to the town's charter. He said the town could make a guarantee to the state that funds will be sought for the sidewalks as soon as possible as part of the deal, but getting those funds is not as easy as in other forms of town government.
Selectman Torbert Macdonald Jr. questioned the state's reason for requiring sidewalks leading up to the approaches in the case of the Cape Neddick bridge, noting that someone he been told sidewalks are required on all new bridge construction in the state.
He said there are no sidewalks leading up to Rice's Bridge on Route 1 and the state put sidewalks on that bridge when it was recently reconstructed.
"I don't believe they have a choice in it," he said.
Estes said the situation is different because Route 1 is wider than Shore Road and there are parking areas on both ends of Rice's Bridge.
Macdonald said the MDOT originally said quick action was needed in order to get 100 percent funding from the federal government, but as Yandow pointed out earlier in the meeting that has proved not to be the case.
Federal funds covered the installation of the temporary bridge.
"It seems to me this was deliberate," he said of the misinformation. "If we take the deal as is, we're going to get an ugly bridge and it won't do anything for the river.
Yandow and Bray will continue their talks with MDOT between now and the next selectmen's meeting in two weeks.
If the selectmen make firm decision at that time, the state's July 26 deadline for going out for proposals will be met and the summer of 2007 completion date remains intact.
If a decision is not made, that date may be in jeopardy.
